Sony-Ericsson rolls R-series, T-series phones

Sony-Ericsson this morning launched four phones, all targeted at essentialist owners. Both the 1.3-megapixel T280 cameraphone and the cameraless T270 each adopt a thin (0.5in) metal candybar shape and are focused chiefly on calling and basic web use; both have Bluetooth for hands-free calling, while the T280 adds an FM radio with RDS station data support. Either will be available before the end of March; versions are available both for international audiences (T270i and T280i) as well as for Americans (T270a and T280a) in a pair of two-tone color models.

In return, the R300 and R306 are both aimed at developing areas where radio is more essential than music. Each provides quick access to their AM/FM radios and buttons for tuning presets; thanks to 3D effects and a special volume boost feature, each can play radio strictly through their own built-in speakers, Sony-Ericsson says. The R300 is a simple bar phone with a VGA camera; the R306 adopts a unique flip-open shape with larger speakers, an outer display with conspicuous radio buttons, and a more advanced 1.3-megapixel camera. Like the T-series, both phones will be ready in American and international versions; the R300 ships first in the spring, while the R306 arrives during the summer.

T270/T280

R300

R306